© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Lewis Hamilton attended the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Thursday Drivers’ Press Conference. Here is the full transcript!
Q: Lewis, can we kick off with you? How was the break? And we saw you went back to Donington Park last weekend to support your brother in the British Touring Car Championship. Just tell us how have you been? How are you now?
Lewis HAMILTON: Good afternoon, everyone. I’m doing great. Really happy to be back in Baku. Strange to have that break only after the first three races but it was great to spend… I love being in Australia, Australia was a great race for us. But then to spend a bit time with family, get back to the factory, work at the factory, then some time with friends and just kind of unplug for a little bit, which is great. And then my brother, who I’m incredibly proud of, continues to be such a great voice, every year he raises his own money because obviously, racing in a series and in a sport where there is no access for people who particularly are disabled. And he stands for so much. And yeah, it’s been difficult. He’s been fighting to try and make up for the disability he has with his legs, and it’s a continuous fight. But he got sixth in the race. And I was just standing in the crowd just watching this as a fan. I was so excited. And no one knew that I was there. I was just jumping up and down and trying to support him. So yeah, very proud and excited for this weekend. The weather was perfect. He pitted on the first lap. And so everyone else was on slicks, and then he made up.
Q: Before we get on track here in Baku, I did just want to ask you about a technical change to the technical department, a staff change with James Allison, coming back into the role of technical director. Can we get your thoughts on that and what sort of impact you think James is going to have?
LH: Well, James has always been a part of the team, obviously was focused a little bit on another area before. I think having him step back in a little bit to support and work alongside Mike, I think it’s only going to strengthen the team moving forwards. And he’s obviously got an amazing amount of experience. So, I think moving forwards, I think it’s just going to be great for the team. Particularly with all the things we want to achieve, not only on track, but off track. I think it’s going to be good.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
Q: Let’s bring it on track then. Great podium for you last time out in Melbourne. How confident are you of repeating that this weekend?
LH: I’m as confident as I can be, I guess. A lot of work has been done in the background. I think the last race was really, really great for us; we worked really hard to get that sort of result. It won’t be easy to do again. We know that Ferrari will be quick, the Red Bulls will be quick, Astons will be quick as well. So I hope that we’re just in the mix. I hope that we get to battle with them. This is an amazing event for us to do that. And particularly with the shakeup of the whole format of the weekend. It’s probably the most exciting weekend so far this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Q: Do you welcome the shake-up?
LH: Absolutely. Yeah, I think it is going to be tough for everybody. But we’re all in the same boat. And you know, what a track to be able to do it at, where overtaking is possible. It’s great racing here. We always have mostly the best races here. And so yeah, it’s definitely difficult to just have one session where you probably get, like, 20 laps, and then straightaway, you’re into Qualifying. But, that’s what we’re here to do, right?
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) Lewis to you first, good to see you. Lando Norris was sat here a few moments ago saying that the upgrades they’re bringing should mean that their car is where it should have been at the start of the season for what is round four. By the time Mercedes bring the full upgrade package to a racetrack will that car be where it should have been at the start of the season, or hopefully better? Or potentially not where you wanted it to start the season? What’s your thoughts?
LH: I think it will be an upgrade, naturally, but I think it will be the start of a new path for us. It will be, at the core, still the same car, but part of the path to getting it to where we want to be, so we’re not going to hit the ground and be where we wanted to be at the start of the season. We’re not making up that crazy ground that there is but I think it’s really positive. So much great work has been done back in the factory to… it takes time to progress in the right direction, so I’m excited for it.
Q: (Adam Cooper – Motorsport.com) Going back to the sprints, obviously, the point of these changes is to encourage you all to push harder in the sprint because it doesn’t affect the grid position for Sunday. But if you have a problem, or you’re running 15th or something halfway through the sprint, how motivating is that to push on and risk the car and is there a point where it just becomes a sort of test session?
Q: Lewis, you were very articulate about it earlier. Just talk to us about the risk/reward of Saturday afternoon Sprint?
LH: I don’t think it makes really a lot of difference now. Obviously before, where you finished in the sprint was where you obviously qualified for the race. Now it is a practice session but there are points at the end of it, I guess. I don’t think we’ll be going more out than we normally have done in the past. What I do think is – and I think it’s great that we are doing these different format weekends – but there’s a lot of time where we could do more running. And I know we always talk about what’s the best in terms of environment and all those sorts of things but I don’t know if it’d be better for the fans but there’s a lot of… there’s a huge break between these sessions and we could be doing more running or whatever it may be. If that was better for the fans, for example, so maybe we’ll look into that in the future.
Q: (Matt Kew – Autosport) Lewis, why are you and Fernando specifically as sharp as ever? Is it to do with diet? Is it to do with exercise, changing characteristics of the car of the era or is it just an acceptance that you guys are generational talents that you can define the odds?
LH: I can’t speak for Fernando but you can tell, obviously, from looking from afar and how Fernando is driving, the talent clearly hasn’t left him and I don’t believe it does leave us. I think it’s also to do with your work ethic. He’s clearly in great shape, and he’s doing an amazing job. I think racing is really enough in our DNA, in our blood and we don’t put less work in now than we did when we were younger. I think there’s more information out there, how to be fit and healthy. You see it with the greats like LeBron and Tom Brady. And so I think there’s probably even more focus nowadays than ever before from an athlete’s perspective and how to get absolutely everything out of your mind and your body and yeah, still hungry as ever, and clearly Fernando is too.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Lewis, there’s been a bit of speculation in the last few days about Leclerc possibly speaking to Mercedes. I know by now you’ll be used to drivers being linked to your seat but does it have any impact on you and possibly trying to get your deal over the line or any bearing on your future?
LH: No, not really. I think maybe some of the drivers will speak or have relationships with different bosses and stuff. No, I like where I am, I love my team and I think I’m grateful for the journey we’ve been on and what we’re working on moving forward so… doesn’t have any impact, no.
Source: FIA.com
